Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 11th, 2020–Nov 12th, 2020

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

Little Yoho.

Climbers and steep skiers watch out! Incoming wind will blow all this light new snow easily. Expect loose dry avalanches out of steep terrain. They may not be huge but they could easily ruin your day!

Weather Forecast

Thursday: Cold temps (-10 to -15) with alpine winds increasing into the strong range from the SW. Light snow starting in the evening

Friday: Slightly warmer but continued moderate to strong alpine winds, overcast skies and light snow.

For more weather information click here.

Snowpack Summary

5-15 cm of low density snow sits on the Nov. 5th rain crust which exists up to 2400 m near Bow Summit and Lake Louise and higher in the Sunshine area. This crust is 5-10 cm thick and ~ 20 cm above the ground. On solar aspects, a sun crust from previous warm temperatures exists to higher elevations. At treeline the snowpack ranges from 30-70 cm deep

Avalanche Summary

Evidence of a loose dry cycle to size 2 out of steep alpine terrain in the Bow Summit area from the previous 24 hours. Mostly out of steep gullies or climbing terrain. Noted two older deeper slabs out of high alpine terrain on the Wapta, but nothing fresh.

Confidence

Due to the number and quality of field observations

Problems

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.